Improved reading- and writing-stand



4 ing or music-stand.

' that, when open fully, their surfaces are in the same other-sides and bottom of thebox are secured together dltiieii l gmt-5 strat (limite.

Letters .Patent No. 98,869, elated January 18, 1870.

IMPROVE!) READING AND WRITING-STAND.

The Schedule referred to iu these Letters Patent and making part cf tue same.

To all whom i't may concern Be it known that I, 'GEORGE HOWELL,-of the city of Baltimore, State ot'Mai-yland, lave invented a new'and useful Combination Reading and lVriting-Stand, of which I declare the following specification to be a true description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

The nature of my invention consists in the pecuiiar construction and operation of a convertible article of furniture, composed ot' a number of parts easily and simply adjusted for use when attached to a chair, table, bedstead, or other convenient stand, as a coinbined book-stand and writing-desk, or as a book-stand or music-stand only, and readily convertible from the one to the other, the whole apparat-us being simple and durable in construction, and so compact as to be contained in the small portable wooden box, which may 'be used as a base for the. music or reading-stainl, and is so constructed that it serves to form the writing-stand, all as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, the same letter ot' reference indi- Cates correspondingr parts.

Figure l is a section of my combination reading and writing-starai, through the centre ofthe various parts.

Figure 2 is a front view ofthe saine.

Figure 3 is a front view of my invention as a read- Figure 4 is aV perspective view of the portable box.

Figure 5 is a slotted arm, having a slide, c', and q is a section of the same, through the line g g.

A is a hollow standard, whose lower end is solid, and threaded, 'the upper end being open, and finished ofi' with any desired ornamentation.

Near the upper end is a set-screw, s'.

\Vithin the standard A, 4working easily and smoothly, kis a cylindrical rod, B, the lower end of which is cut off squarely, while the upper end is threaded.

-Screwed down upon this threaded end, for the pur-` poses` hereinafter set forth, is a slotted arm, F, (figs. 1 and 2,) the width of the slot being the diameter of rod B. i

On top of this arm, and supported by it, is the writing-table lt D D', 'formed of the box It, which box I will now describe.

Fig. 4 is a view of this box alone. The top D, side D', and bottom of the box, are hinged together, so

plane, as shown in iig. 1, and when folded up, they completely close the box. To fasten the box close, a hook and eye, or any other means may be used. The

in the ordinary way.

In the bottom of the box is cut a slot, Q; W`hcn the box It is placed upon arln F, slot Q corresponds with the slot in thev arm.

lllhrough these slots a bolt, i1, is inserted, upon which threaded coupling K is screwed, which vclamps together the'box and arm.

In the top of coupling K is` screwed ro'd E, the oftice of which is to serve as a support for the adjustable reading (or book) stand.

The upper end ol'rod .E has an ornamented nut-head z.

' \Vo1'king easily upon rod E, and adjusted by setscrcw s", is a slide, L, to which is1 attached the top piece P of the book-stand.

Atcach end of top piece- I, from the top, isformed a recess, into which lits a brass tongue attached to thc back of arms m. and m', shown by dottedlinesin iig. 1,

4 These arms i are pivoted 'to slat o,`audl are each provided with a recess to receive the ends of slat h which is removable.

Slat 0 has a vhinged ledge, l, provided with tincs c c, for supporting and holding open the book. i

'Ihe readingfstaial being so constructed, itis plain.l

that it can be. readily taken apart, folded, and compactly laid away in the box.

To the lower end of standard A is represented, screwed, a base, G, in which is cut a slot, S, to receive one of the jaws ofthe clamp C C.

IThe base rests upon the chair or table W, and is firmly secured thereto by the clamp.

r[his clamp is an important feature of my'inveiition. It is composed ot' the two pieces C O', and the setscrew '3. It may be made of b'ass,or other metal. Its upper jaw, C', has a` solid screw-arm, which works in the hollow threaded arln of the jaw C. The upper jaw and arm are of one casting, as are the lower jaw and arm. The clamp is very simple in construction,

and is obviously adaptable to any thickness of chairseat or table. "It is better fitted to serve the purpose intended than would be a cla-mp made afterthe Fmonkey-wrench device, in that the jaw C is not necessarily in the line of the jaw C, and, consequently, when, by reason of the conformation of the furniture to which my stand is attached, it is not possible or convenient to adjust the jaw C directly under the jaw C', it can -be `moved to theV one side or the other, and the standstill be securely clamped.

Instead oi' using baseG, the screw-end of standard A may-bc inserted in the screw-hole c of the slotted arm H, iig. 5, and the arm be used as hereinafter described. This arm is provided with a slide, 1'-, ruu' ning in side grooves in the slot, as shown' in section q. Its object is to afford a means ot' adj listing the stand at a greater or lesser distance from the chair.

The standard A being screwed in hole c, the arm H is rested upon the furniture W, and the jaw O Vupon slide i. The arm having a limited longitudinal movement independent ofthe slide, the standard can be ad justed to any convenient distance from the persen using it, within the limit of the slots length.,

By removing arm F, with desk VD D', and connecting rods B and E,`by coupling K, my invention becomes simply a book or music-stand, which can be attached to chair, table, bedstead, or box, I?, or to any convenient special stand.

The angle of the book or music-stand can be rendered adjustable by reaming the hole in slide L, and

supporting the angle by an adjustable rest, X, sliding on rod E.

Rod B can be made hollow, and provided with a rod working in it, whose relation corresponds to that of rod B willi standard A, and the-stand be thus rendered capable ofgrcater adjustable elevation. v

The various parts of my reading and writing-stand are so separable as to be easily and conveniently packed in the portable rectangular wooden box R, hcreinbe-` fore described, which forms a. part of my invention. This box, stood on end, with hinged sides partly-open, and standard attached through hole. n, in the other end, formsa steady and convenient base l'or the read ing or music-stand.

For convenience in adjusting, I make the various screws used'in my apparatus, except set-screws, ot' the same thread and diameter.

I claim, -aslny invention- 1. Thebox lt,- constructed substantially as described,

having its top D, side D', and bottom hinged together, and its bottom slotted, for the purposes set forth.

2. An adjustable convertible combination reading and writing-stand, consisting ot' clamp C C', arm H, standard A, rod B, arm F, box R, bolt b, rod E, and reading-stand L p m m ho, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. rlhe reading-stand, composed of the adjustable slide L, top piece P, slats o and h, arms 'm m', rod E, and adjustable rest x, when constructed and arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination and arrangement of the reading-stand and rod E, with coupling K, rod B,standard A, and base G, as described.

-5. The combination and arrangement of thereading-desk, rod E', coupling 7:, and vbolt b, with desk R D D', arm 1", rod B, standard A, base G, and clamp vC CQ substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

The above specification 'of -my invention signed and witnessed, at NVashington, D. C., this 23d day of Ootober, 1869. l

GEORGE HOWELL.

Witnesses:

Jonson T. Cu'r'rs, CHARLES WALTER. 

